A Place in Florida - Let us Cheer the Lowly Possum
A Place in Florida - Let us Cheer the Lowly Possum
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There's a set in place Florida that crafted a twelve-foot-substantial monument in the center of town to exalt the lowly possum. Now, why would everyone need to do that?
Nicely, to begin with, heroes take effort and time to obtain using this type of dedicate Florida - the Panhandle city of Wausau, property of a lot less than 500 persons in the middle of Washington County about ten miles south of Chipley.
Why don't you the possum, an not likely hero to state the least? No person else puts the possum in excess of a pedestal. Why not Wausau?
Secondly, in 1982, Wausau bought Ill and fatigued with currently being overlooked with the Florida lists of entertaining, fairs and festivals. Every place set up Florida requirements a Pageant. Instead of a person make investments Florida includes a Possum Festival. Why not Wausau?
If you have not absent to Washington County, you probably will Imagine I'm causeing this to be up. When you have attended Washington County, you may understand - and know this is a correct story.
Wausau, it turned out, had some pretty effective possum politicians in early '80s. Allow me to share two factors they completed:
They persuaded the Florida Legislature to proclaim the quite very first Saturday in August as Possum Working day in Florida. That led on the making in the monument along State Freeway seventy seven in Wausau.
They even got The us Congress in here advertising the possum. Congress joined the exciting via offering the funds for Wausau's Possum Palace so Wausau can have a location to keep its once-a-year Exciting Day and Possum Pageant. Featuring a queen contest and possum auction, among other matters, the Pageant appeals to heaps of people each and every year, moreover they like it.
Time out For lots of educating of Northerners right here. The South's possum is identical lowly animal you call opossum, (Why use seven letters when 6 can do?) It's a smallish marsupial that lives in trees and displays its unsightly body only at night. This is exactly why, For anyone who is within the ideal spot in Florida, you can listen to possum hunters' puppies baying and barking. Treed by canines, the possum 'freezes', so It's going to be easy sufficient to capture (or shoot) one particular.
An inscription about the monument in the center of Wausau cites the possum's part in delivering 'both of those fur and food stuff' throughout the centuries. It goes on say: 'Their presence in this article has supplied a source of nutritious and flavorful food items in usual instances and incorporates been a significant enable to human survival in occasions of distress and demanding need to have.'
Laugh in the event you'd favor. The men and women of Wausau will giggle with you - whilst downing baked possum and sweet potatoes.